Apparatus for and method of mounting electronic parts

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for mounting electronic parts and a method of mounting electronic parts capable of effectively performing image capturing at the time of position recognition of the electronic parts. In the apparatus, when images of electronic parts are taken for position recognition of the parts in the mounting of a plurality of the electronic parts held by a mounting head on a circuit board, it is adapted such that pixel signals are output only from specific pixels that are necessary. More specifically, pixel selecting information for allowing image signals to be selectively output from a plurality of specific pixels of photodetecting section  10  of a CMOS area sensor is generated based on mounting schedule data  16 C related to a mounting sequence of the electronic parts and part data of the electronic parts stored in data storage  16 . Pixel selector  11  is operated in accordance with the pixel selecting information and thus the image signals are output from the selected specific pixels.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method ofmounting electronic parts on a circuit board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Apparatuses for mounting electronic parts on a circuit board ingeneral include an image reader performing position recognition of theelectronic part. Positioning of electronic parts for mounting theelectronic parts at predetermined mounting positions on a circuit boardis carried out on the basis of the results of the position recognition.As image readers, such ones as a line sensor in which a plurality ofpixels are linearly arranged and an area sensor in which a plurality ofpixels are arranged in a two-dimensional lattice form are used. Byhaving an optical image formed on the photodetecting section of such animage reader, each pixel thereof comes to build thereon an electriccharge corresponding to the optical image. By allowing such electriccharges to be sequentially output as electric signals (image signals),image data of an electronic part can be obtained.

[0003] However, since it has been practiced in conventional mountingapparatuses to have image signals sequentially output from all of thepixels constituting the photodetecting section, image signals frompixels unnecessary for position recognition have also been output.Therefore, the time required for reading an image of an electronic parthas been prolonged and this has made it difficult to shorten the timerequired for position recognition of an electronic part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention was made for solving the above describedproblem in the conventional art and it is an object thereof to providean apparatus for and a method of mounting electronic parts on a circuitboard in which the time required for reading an image in performingposition recognition of the electronic part can be shortened.

[0005] The apparatus for mounting electronic parts of the inventioncomprises:

[0006] (a) a mounting head holding and transferring a plurality ofelectronic parts;

[0007] (b) an image reader for taking an image of a plurality of theelectronic parts held by the mounting head;

[0008] (c) an image recognition section for recognizing an image read bythe image reader thereby detecting positions of a plurality of theelectronic parts;

[0009] (d) a data storage for storing mounting schedule data specifyinga mounting sequence of a plurality of the electronic parts performed bythe mounting head and part data of a plurality of kinds of theelectronic parts; and

[0010] (e) a controller for causing the mounting head to performmounting operation based on positions of the electronic parts detectedby the image recognition section and the mounting schedule data, inwhich the image reader includes:

[0011] (b1) a photodetecting section having a plurality of pixels;

[0012] (b2) a pixel selecting information generating section forgenerating pixel selecting information specifying pixels becoming imagecapture regions in the photodetecting section based on the mountingschedule data and the part data; and

[0013] (b3) a pixel selecting section for allowing image signals to beselectively output from specified pixels based on the pixel selectinginformation.

[0014] By virtue of the described configuration, pixel selectinginformation can be generated on the basis of the mounting schedule datarelated to the mounting sequence of the electronic parts and the partdata of the electronic parts and, on the basis of this pixel selectinginformation, image signals can be generated from specific pixels in thephotodetecting section. Therefore, image recognition required for makingposition recognition of mounted electronic parts can be performedquickly and efficiently and, thus, the mounting tact time can beshortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for mountingelectronic parts as a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imagereader in the apparatus.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a structural drawing of a photodetecting section of theimage reader.

[0018]FIG. 4A is a drawing showing image capture windows of the imagereader of the apparatus.

[0019]FIG. 4B is a drawing showing image capture regions in thephotodetecting section of the image reader.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a chart showing a work flow in a method of mountingelectronic parts in the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] A mounting apparatus and a mounting method according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of themounting apparatus as the exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image readerused in the apparatus. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating theconfiguration of the photodetecting section of the image reader and FIG.4 is a drawing showing image capture windows of the image reader andimage capture regions of the photodetecting section. FIG. 5 is a processflowchart for explaining the mounting method performed in the mountingapparatus.

[0022] The configuration of the mounting apparatus of the exemplaryembodiment will first be described. In FIG. 1, there is provided guiderail 2 along direction X in the center of base board 1. Guide rail 2 isused for carrying circuit board 3 thereby positioning it in apredetermined position. Part supplying sections 4 for supplyingelectronic parts are disposed on both sides of guide rail 2. Each partsupplying section 4 is provided with tape feeder 5. Tape feeder 5contains a tape with electronic parts placed thereon and feeds the tapeat a fixed pitch in the direction of a pickup position thereby supplyingan electronic part to a predetermined pickup position.

[0023] On both sides of the top face of base board 1, there are disposedtwo pieces of Y-axis tables 6A and 6B parallel to each other, and onthese tables, there is disposed X-axis table 7 with both end portionsthereof placed on Y-axis tables 6A and 6B. X-axis table 7 has mountinghead 8 placed thereon. This mounting head 8 is of a multi-nozzle typehaving four suction nozzles 8A provided in the bottom face thereof forsucking electronic parts. Since each of these four suction nozzles 8Acan individually suck and hold an electronic part, suction nozzles 8Acan suck and hold a plurality of electronic parts and transfer them.X-axis table 7 is allowed to move in the Y-axis direction along the topfaces of Y-axis tables 6A and 6B. Mounting head 8 is further allowed tomove in the X-axis direction by means of X-axis table 7. Accordingly,mounting head 8 is horizontally movable in both X-axis direction andY-axis direction. Thus, mounting head 8 is enabled to pick up anelectronic part at a predetermined pickup position of tape feeder 5 andtransfer the same to a position over circuit board 3 thereby mountingthe same on circuit board 3.

[0024] In the way of mounting head 8 moving between guide rail 2 andpart supplying portion 4, there is disposed camera 9 as an image readerfor reading the image of an electronic part. After mounting head 8 haspicked up an electronic part at a predetermined pickup position of tapefeeder 5, mounting head 8 is moved over camera 9. When the electronicpart has been positioned over camera 9, by taking an image of theelectronic part, while it is sucked and held by suction nozzle 8A, bycamera 9 from below, the image of the electronic part is read. Then, theobtained image data is subjected to recognition processing, and thusidentification of the electronic part and position detection of theelectronic part are carried out. When the electronic part is mounted oncircuit board 3, the horizontal position of mounting head 8 and thedirection of the nozzle are subjected to fine adjustments and, thus, theelectronic part can be mounted in an accurate position.

[0025]FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the image reader. Camera 9 ismade up of photodetecting section 10, pixel selector 11, and cameracontroller 12. Photodetecting section 10 is formed of a plurality ofpixels 10A in a lattice array. An optical image of the subject is formedon photodetecting section 10 by means of an optical system (not shown)and electric charges stored in each of the pixels are output as an imagesignal, whereby the image of the electronic part as the imaging subjectis read. As shown in FIG. 3, each of pixels 10A constitutingphotodetecting section 10 includes photodetecting element 21 being aphotodiode and amplifier 22 made up of a plurality of MOS transistors.Amplifier 22 amplifies electric charge stored on photodetecting element21 to convert it into a voltage value to be output therefrom.Corresponding to the disposition of pixels 10A in a lattice array (in atwo-dimensional matrix array), a plurality of vertical signal lines LVand a plurality of horizontal signal lines LH are formed inphotodetecting section 10 and each amplifier 22 is connected withvertical signal line LV and horizontal signal line LH.

[0026] Manners of combination of vertical signal line LV and horizontalsignal line LH connected to each of amplifiers 22 are entirely differentfrom one another. Pixel selector 11 is connected with each of amplifiers22 via vertical signal lines LV. Signals from pixel selector 11 renderamplifiers 22 active or, more specifically, enables amplifiers 22 tooutput an image signal converted into a voltage value. Output of each ofamplifier 22 is issued through output line L(out) via horizontal signallines LH and gate element 23 for switching. One gate element 23 isconnected to each of horizontal signal lines LH and caused to make itsswitching action by a signal from pixel selector 11.

[0027] With an optical image formed on photodetecting section 10,photodetecting element 21 stores electric charge corresponding toincident light thereon. With application of a signal from pixel selector11 to turn ON gate element 23 in synchronism with amplifier 22corresponding thereto, the electric charge stored in a relatedphotodetecting element 21 is output as an image signal. Morespecifically, with specific one of a plurality of vertical signal linesLV turned ON by pixel selector 11, a row of pixels 10A disposed inhorizontal direction in the lattice array of photodetecting section 10are selected. Thus, a plurality of amplifiers 22 connected with thisvertical signal lines LV are selected to be rendered active. Then, whenone specific gate element 23, out of a plurality of gate elements 23, isselected to be turned ON by pixel selector 11, an image signal isoutput, through output line L(out), from one amplifier 22, of theplurality of amplifiers 22 rendered active, connected with that gateelement 23 turned ON via the related horizontal signal line LH.

[0028] In FIG. 2, camera controller 12 receives information necessaryfor operating pixel selector 11 from input/output controller 14 andcontrols pixel selector 11 based on the received pixel selectinginformation. Under the control of pixel selector 11, a signal from thatpixel 10A selected by pixel selecting information is output. Cameracontroller 12 and pixel selector 11 constitute a pixel selectingsection.

[0029] Camera controller 12 further issues an image capturing completionsignal, indicative of completion of image capturing, to imagerecognition section 13. The image signal output from photodetectingsection 10 is captured by image recognition section 13. Imagerecognition section 13, upon receipt of the completion signal issuedfrom camera controller 12, subjects the captured image data torecognition processing in accordance with a recognition algorithmdesignated by an algorithm number stored in part data 16B.

[0030] Input/output controller 14 controls input/output of exchangedsignals among camera controller 12, image recognition section 13, andprocessing-computing section 15. Processing-computing section 15executes processing programs stored in program storage 17 in accordancewith stored data in later described data storage 16, thereby performingvarious processing and computing jobs. Data storage 16 stores mountingdata 16A, part data 16B, and mounting schedule data 16C.

[0031] Mounting data 16A is data of mounted positions of parts. Partdata 16B is such data peculiar to each part as shape and size of thepart to be mounted. As part data 16B, such data are also stored as thealgorithm number given to an algorithm to be used by image recognitionsection 13 for performing recognition and information of an imagecapture window to be set within the field of view of camera 9 forcapturing an image. FIG. 4 is a drawing explanatory of the image capturewindow. In FIG. 4A, there are set four electronic parts P1, P2, P3, andP4, as well as image capture windows A, B, C, and D correspondingthereto, within image-taking field of view 9A. Because sizes and shapesof electronic parts are many and various, information for imagecapturing, i.e., size, shape, and number are set for each part. In thecase of the present embodiment, an example in which one image capturewindow is provided for one electronic part is shown. However, aplurality of image capture windows can sometimes be set for oneelectronic part.

[0032] Mounting schedule data 16C is information related to procedure ofmounting work, i.e., mounting work sequence of each electronic part isspecified therein. More particularly, mounting schedule data 16C is readin order that each step of mounting work is performed, in which mountinghead 8 travels between part supplying section 4 and circuit board 3 forthe mounting work. By the read schedule data, a combination of aplurality of electronic parts simultaneously sucked, held, andtransferred by mounting head 8 in each mounting work step and a sequenceof mounting of each of individual electronic parts in that combinationis designated. The aforesaid combination of a plurality of electronicparts may more particularly be explained as correspondences between theplurality of suction nozzles 8A of mounting head 8 and the kinds (partnumbers and information identifying parts) of electronic parts sucked bythe suction nozzles 8A.

[0033] Mounting schedule data 16C further includes such information ascapturing sequence setting information for setting a capturing sequenceon the basis of a sequence of mounting, for providing pixel selectinginformation in a plurality of image capture regions.

[0034] Program storage 17 stores capture region setting program 17A,mounting operation program 17B, and capturing sequence setting program17C. Capture region setting program 17A is a program for generatingpixel selecting information for selecting a plurality of particularpixels within the image capture regions corresponding to the imagecapture windows, out of a plurality of pixels 10A of photodetectingsection 10, on the basis of the image capture windows set up in theimage-taking field of view.

[0035] The procedure for the pixel selecting information generation willbe described below. First, processing-computing section 15 reads out,from mounting schedule data 16C, the kinds of the electronic parts to betransferred to the image-taking field of view of camera 9 by mountinghead 8 at each time of mounting steps, as well as information aboutsuction nozzles 8A to suck the electronic parts. Since positions ofsuction nozzles 8A within image-taking field of view 9A are eachpredetermined, the position of an electronic part within thisimage-taking field of view 9A can each be determined by specifying thesuction nozzle 8A that sucks the electronic part. On the other hand,from the read kind of electronic part, processing-computing section 15reads out information about the image capture window for capturing therelevant electronic part in part data 16B. Then, from information aboutpositions of each of electronic parts and image capture windows withinimage-taking field of view 9A, disposition of image capture windows A,B, C, and D within image-taking field of view 9A can be obtained asshown in FIG. 4A.

[0036] Then, in order to specify, within pixels 10A constitutingphotodetecting section 10, those pixels contained in image captureregions A1, B1, C1, and D1 corresponding to image capture windows A, B,C, and D, i.e., to specify pixels as the imaging subjects, pixelselecting information is generated based on the disposition of imagecapture windows A, B, C, and D. The image capture regions are shown inFIG. 4B.

[0037] In the described manner, processing-computing section 15 readscapture region setting program 17A and, further, reads out, frommounting schedule data 16C, information identifying the correspondence(combination) of kinds of electronic parts transferred by mounting head8 at each mounting step with suction nozzles 8A sucking the electronicparts. Then, from the information identifying the correspondence andinformation about image capture windows included in part data 16B,processing-computing section 15 generates pixel selecting informationfor specifying the pixels within the image capture regions.

[0038] Mounting operation program 17B is a sequence program of themounting operation for mounting electronic parts on circuit board 3.Capturing sequence setting program 17C is a program for setting acapturing sequence of a plurality of image capture regions provided inphotodetecting section 10.

[0039] Accordingly, in the above described constitution,processing-computing section 15 executes mounting operation program 17Bon the basis of mounting schedule data 16C, while a controller as afunction of processing/computing section 15 causes mounting head 8 toperform the mounting operation on the basis of both mounting scheduledata 16C and data of positions of electronic parts detected by imagerecognition section 13. Likewise, processing-computing section 15executes capture region setting program 17A to thereby generate pixelselecting information on the basis of both mounting schedule data 16Cand part data 16B. Thus, pixel selecting information generating means isone of the functions of processing/computing section 15.

[0040] The capturing sequence will be described now. In the conventionalCCD area camera, issuance of image signals from the pixels is carriedout following a scanning sequence determined in a fixed manner based onthe arrangement of the pixels. Therefore, even in a case where there areset a plurality of image capture regions, the image capturing sequenceis univocally determined. However, in a CMOS area camera in which pixelsas signal outputting subjects can be selected at will as in the presentexemplary embodiment, it is possible to set up as desired the sequencefor image capturing in a plurality of image capture regions.

[0041] In order to perform the mounting work effectively, it at times isbetter to carry out image capturing from a plurality of image capturewindows set in the simultaneously picked-up image-taking field of viewin a specific sequence. For example, in a case where a plurality of thesame electronic parts are to be mounted on circuit board 3 by the samemounting head 8 at the same mounting step, it saves mounting tact timeif the captured image and the result of recognition of the image isoutput in the sequence of mounting of the electronic parts on circuitboard 3. Therefore, in the present exemplary embodiment, outputting ofthe image signals from a plurality of image capture regions set up inphotodetecting section 10 of camera 9 corresponding to the image capturewindows is adapted to be determined in association with the mountingsequence of electronic parts specified in mounting schedule data 16C.

[0042] While the electronic part mounting apparatus of the presentinvention is configured as described above, the method of mountingelectronic parts with the use of the apparatus will be described belowaccording to the process flowchart shown in FIG. 5. Processing-computingsection 15 reads out part data 16B and mounting schedule data 16C fromdata storage 16 (ST 1). The read data specifies the electronic parts asthe mounted subjects at each of mounting steps and also specifies themounting sequence of the electronic parts.

[0043] Then, mounting head 8 picks up the electronic parts as mountedsubjects at this mounting step from predetermined pick-up positions ofpart supplying sections 4 (ST 2). Four suction nozzles 8A provided onmounting head 8 here pick up four different kinds of electronic partsP1, P2, P3, and P4 as shown in FIG. 4A. Then, mounting head 8 transfersto the image taking position over camera 9 (ST 3).

[0044] In parallel with the operation of mounting head 8, the followingprocesses are performed. First, capture region setting process isperformed on the basis of part data 16B that has been read (ST 4). Here,processing-computing section 15 executes capture region setting program17A, thereby setting up, within image-taking field of view 9A, imagecapture windows A, B, C, and D corresponding to electronic parts P1, P2,P3 and P4 placed on mounting head 8, as shown in FIG. 4A.

[0045] Then, image capture regions A1, B1, C1, and D1 corresponding toimage capture windows A, B, C, and D are set up in photodetectingsection 10 of camera 9 as shown in FIG. 4B. Incidentally, SA, SB, SC,and SD in the drawing show starting pixels of image capture regions A1,B1, C1, and D1, respectively. Thereafter, pixel selecting informationspecifying the pixels in image capture regions A1, B1, C1, and D1 isgenerated, whereby the pixels as the subjects of issuance of imagesignals are specified.

[0046] Then, capturing sequence setting process is performed (ST 5).Here, the capturing sequence is provided such that the image capturingis performed following the mounting sequence of four electronic partsP1, P2, P3, and P4 determined on the basis of mounting schedule data16C. More particularly, when the mounting sequence is set in the orderof P1, P2, P3, and P4, the capturing sequence is set in the order of A1,B1, C1, and D1.

[0047] Then, the pixel selecting information generated at step 4 (ST 4)is transmitted to camera controller 12, following the capturing sequenceset at step 5 (ST 5), via input/output controller 14 (ST 6). Thus,camera 9 is enabled to take images. Then exposure through an opticalsystem (not shown) is carried out so that an optical image of eachelectronic part as an image-pickup subject is formed on photodetectingsection 10 and the image is picked up (ST 7).

[0048] When the image pick-up is over, mounting head 8 transfers to theposition over circuit board 3 (ST 8). In parallel therewith, imagereading and recognizing processes are performed (ST 9). Morespecifically, image signals only from pixels corresponding to imagecapture regions A1, B1, C1, and D1 out of all pixels 10A inphotodetecting section 10 are issued to image recognition section 13. Atthis time, image signals from the pixels in image capture region A1 arefirst output following the capturing sequence set in step 5 (ST 5). Uponcompletion of issuance of image signals from all pixels in image captureregion A1, image signals are issued from pixels in image capture regionB1 that follows. Upon completion of issuance of image signals from allpixels in image capture region B1, image signals are issued from pixelsin image capture region C1 that follows. Likewise, image signals fromimage capture region D1 are issued following the issuance from regionC1. The captured image signals, upon completion of the image capturingfrom each image capture region, are immediately subjected to recognitionprocessing in image recognition section 13.

[0049] Then, mounting of an electronic part on circuit board 3 isperformed (ST 10). More specifically, mounting head 8 mounts theelectronic part on circuit board 3 after correcting displacement of theelectronic part on the basis of results of recognition of the electronicpart in image recognition section 13. At this time, one electronic partcaptured by and recognized in image recognition section 13 can bemounted on circuit board 3, without waiting completion of capturing ofimages, and recognition thereof, from all of the image capture regionsof photodetecting section 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to waituntil image capturing and recognition processing for all of theelectronic parts is completed. As a result, unproductive standby timecan be decreased and mounting tact time can be shortened.

[0050] In the present embodiment, an example where pixel selectinginformation is generated by using information of image capture windowincluded in the part data was shown. However, information of imagecapture window may be eliminated from the part data and, instead, afunction to generate information of image capture window frominformation about sizes of electronic parts in the part data may beadded to capture region setting program 17A so that pixel selectinginformation is automatically generated from information about sizes ofelectronic parts. Although the number of nozzles provided on themounting head was set to be four in the present embodiment, the numberis not of course limited to four in the invention.

[0051] According to the present invention, since pixel selectinginformation is generated based on mounting schedule data related to themounting procedure of electronic parts and part data of electronic partsand image signals are output from particular pixels of thephotodetecting section based on that pixel selecting information,efficient image reading can be attained.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for mounting electronic partscomprising: (a) a mounting head holding and transferring a plurality ofelectronic parts; (b) an image reader for taking an image of a pluralityof said electronic parts held by said mounting head; (c) an imagerecognition section for recognizing an image read by said image readerthereby detecting positions of a plurality of said electronic parts; (d)a data storage for storing mounting schedule data specifying a mountingsequence of a plurality of said electronic parts performed by saidmounting head and part data of a plurality of kinds of said electronicparts; and (e) a controller for causing said mounting head to performmounting operation based on positions of said electronic parts detectedby said image recognition section and said mounting schedule data,wherein said image reader includes: (b1) a photodetecting section havinga plurality of pixels; (b2) a pixel selecting information generatingsection for generating pixel selecting information specifying pixelsbecoming image capture regions in said photodetecting section based onsaid mounting schedule data and said part data; and (b3) a pixelselecting section for allowing image signals to be selectively outputfrom specified pixels based on said pixel selecting information.
 2. Theapparatus for mounting electronic parts according to claim 1, whereinsaid part data includes information of image capture windows within animage-taking field of view of said image reader, and said pixelselecting information generating section generates pixel selectinginformation based on said mounting schedule data and said information ofimage capture windows.
 3. The apparatus for mounting electronic partsaccording to claim 1, wherein said mounting head includes a plurality ofsuction nozzles for sucking and holding said electronic parts, saidmounting schedule data includes information specifying correspondencesbetween said suction nozzles and electronic parts sucked and held bysaid suction nozzles, said part data includes information of imagecapture windows to be set within an image-taking field of view of saidimage reader for allowing said image reader to take images of saidelectronic parts, and said pixel selecting information generatingsection generates said pixel selecting information based on saidinformation of correspondences and said information of image capturewindow.
 4. The apparatus for mounting electronic parts according toclaim 1, wherein said part data includes information about sizes of saidelectronic parts, and said pixel selecting information generatingsection generates pixel selecting information based on said mountingschedule data and the information about sizes of said electronic parts.5. The apparatus for mounting electronic parts according to claim 1,wherein said mounting schedule data includes information about amounting sequence of a plurality of electronic parts and capturingsequence setting information for setting a capturing sequence on thebasis of a sequence of mounting, for providing pixel selectinginformation in a plurality of image capture regions, and said pixelselecting section selectively outputs image signals from specifiedpixels following the capturing sequence.
 6. The apparatus for mountingelectronic parts according to claim 1, wherein said mounting head has aplurality of nozzles for sucking said electronic parts and said mountinghead has a function of repeating mounting steps several times byreciprocally moving between a part supplying section and a circuit boardfor mounting a plurality of electronic parts on said circuit board, saidmounting schedule data includes information specifying correspondencesbetween a plurality of said electronic parts transferred at eachmounting step and a plurality of said nozzles, and said pixel selectinginformation generating section generates pixel selecting informationbased on the information included in the mounting schedule data forspecifying the correspondences and the part data.
 7. An electronic partmounting method for mounting electronic parts on a circuit boardcomprising the steps of: (a) reading mounting schedule data specifying amounting sequence of electronic parts and part data of a plurality ofkinds of said electronic parts into a processing-computing section; (b)allowing an electronic part to be sucked from a predetermined pickupposition and held by a horizontally movable mounting head; (c) allowingsaid electronic part held by said mounting head to be transferred to aposition where an image thereof can be taken by an image reader; (d)generating pixel selecting information for specifying pixels becomingimage capture regions of said image reader based on said mountingschedule data and said part data; (e) operating an image selectingsection based on said pixel selecting information thereby allowing imagesignals to be selectively output from the specified pixels in said imagereader; (f) detecting a position of said electronic part by taking imagedata read by said image reader into an image recognition section forimage recognition of the image data; and (g) mounting said electronicpart on said circuit board by means of said mounting head based on theposition of said electronic parts detected by said image recognitionsection and said mounting schedule data.
 8. The electronic part mountingmethod according to claim 7 further comprising the step of specifying acapturing sequence for the selecting information of a plurality ofpixels within a plurality of said capture regions, wherein said pixelselecting section is caused, in the step of allowing the image signalsto be output, to operate following the capturing sequence in the pixelselecting information so that image signals are selectively output fromthe specified pixels in said image reader.
 9. The electronic partmounting method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said part dataincludes information of image capture windows within an image-takingfield of view, and said pixel selecting information is generated basedon said mounting schedule data and said information of image capturewindows.
 10. The electronic part mounting method according to claim 7 or8, wherein said part data includes information of sizes of saidelectronic parts, and said pixel selecting information is generatedbased on said mounting schedule data and said information of sizes ofelectronic parts.
 11. The electronic part mounting method according toclaim 8, wherein said mounting schedule data includes information abouta mounting sequence of said electronic parts, and said capturingsequence is set on the basis of said mounting sequence.
 12. Theelectronic part mounting method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein saidmounting head has a plurality of nozzles for sucking said electronicparts and said mounting head has a function of repeating mounting stepsseveral times by reciprocally moving between a part supplying sectionand a circuit board for mounting a plurality of electronic parts on saidcircuit board, said mounting schedule data includes informationspecifying correspondences between a plurality of said electronic partstransferred at each mounting step and a plurality of said nozzles, andsaid pixel selecting information is generated based on the informationspecifying the correspondences included in the mounting schedule dataand the part data.